Long run tomorrow at Afton?

The Plan
Well, I need to get a final long run in before Marathon 2 Marathon so I should run on roads but instead I think I will head to Afton.

If all goes as planned I will head up there around 7 and try to run the 25k course plus 5-10 more. I am signed up for my 2nd 50k there so getting a feel for the course would be a good idea. After Marathon 2 Marathon, Afton is just three weeks later so the marathon may be the final long run for Afton. So I figure I may as well flop things around and have a go at it. I don't have a time goal for the 50k so this should give me a feel of what I might be able to do.

The Reality
I don't plan on running too hard as I am kind of nursing some tender knees and would prefer not to hammer them. Nothing serious, just patella tendinitis, I have those straps and they make it manageable. It's kind of interesting, the right knee pretty much aches all of the time but it only occasionally has moderate to intense pain, usually it's just moderate without the strap and just aches with it. The left one doesn't bother me normally but after a few miles, I tend to get some moderate to intense pain. Usually, I try to work my way through it but I found out that if I move the strap from leg to leg based on which one hurts the most, it made it easier to manage. So in Fargo, I went ahead and picked up another one but I was kind of hoping the left one would heal up and just go away so that I wouldn't need it. It didn't so I ended up putting it on during the race. I am at times too vain, I think they look goofy so I didn't want to wear them. The problem is I am now ok with the looks of one, but the second one still looks goofy.

I ran today in Lebanon Hills and it was almost hot, it's been amazing spring, I think this was one of the first days in the 70's. If it turns hot at Marathon 2 Marathon or Afton, I will be in trouble.

The Fuel
I have been using Clif Shot Electrolyte (Crisp Apple) for my long runs and I haven't had stomach issues yet, the real test will happen probably later this summer. Clif shot advertises that it's "Salty and Tart taste counteract sweetness", I kind of agree as I never seem to have any trouble drinking it. It tastes just good enough to enjoy but not too good so I don't drink too much. The one thing that I do that is a little different is that I only drink electrolyte, no water. I read somewhere that it helps to keep the constant level of electrolytes than alternating with water and going up and down. I don't know if that is true or not but it does make it easier as it's all I need to carry. If you want to try it it can be hard to find, TC Running has it but only Lemonade and the Runners Gate in Lakeville usually has it, otherwise check REI or get it online.

I also carry Sport Beans (Fruit Punch) if I feel the low sugar come in and between the two, they seem to be working. I also picked up some Endurolyte pills (from Hammer) as I have used the Succeed tablets in the past and they seemed to help. Why did I switch, well laziness of sorts. I didn't get around to ordering the Succeed tablets on line and since I wanted them for the weekend, I swung by the Start Line at lunch last week and picked them up. In the past they used to carry Succeed but they switched to the Endurolyte's a few years back, the person I talked to thought they were better because of the extra ingredients, I think it may have been that they sell all of the other Hammer products. If you don't know what either are, they are buffered salt pills and definitely help keep my system working when I run longer than 4 hours. If I do a longer race than a 50k, I may need to figure out fueling differently but for the time being I will go with what is working.

When I get done, I will enjoy some pretzels and/or peanuts as the salt always seems to hit the spot.

The Outcome
Hopefully good.................